A day in the life of your personal data

4:10 PM
A day in the life of your personal data -

During an average day, the typical Internet user reveals an incredible amount of information as she goes to his personal affairs.

either completely innocent information such as love a new Internet radio station, or the most sensitive data, such as credit card number, all data are automatically stored and can be tracked back a single user relatively simply.

Have you ever thought about the amount of information you put out there when you use your phone, computer or other intelligent devices? Read on for six ways you share your personal information without knowing it.

Email

Whether for work, school, or personal use, most people send and receive emails constantly. The user name and password you use to log into your email account can give you the illusion of privacy, but in reality, your user name links directly traceable personal information. Not only your email address linked to your real name, it is also connected to your Internet Protocol (IP) address, a unique identifier that your computer or your phone uses to connect to the Internet.

Neither the juicy details that you might share a personal message, or sensitive information that you might be working in a message are really secure when sending email. The servers store copies of all data indefinitely, and a variety of interested parties may gain access to information with little effort. In 2013, news broke that the State Administration regularly collected safety data from major email services, including Google, Yahoo and Microsoft, and these information leaks have shown no signs of slowing.

Credit and debit cards

If you use debit or credit cards online or in a store, documents systems and track your purchase history. This may seem like a good idea when you see the positive benefits, such as the return that pair of shoes that do not match and receive a refund to your credit card almost immediately after the slip to return.

When things go wrong with the information storing credit card, though, allowing your name and credit card number to be tracked may seem more trouble than it is worth. Today, countless large retail chains have unwittingly been attacked by hackers, causing the theft of vast amounts of personal data. Like any identity theft victim knows, stolen credit card information can quickly lead to a damaged credit report and other serious consequences.

Global Positioning System

There are chances that you are using the global positioning system (GPS) to track your location 24 hours a day without giving it a second thought. If you carry a cell phone, your phone and, by extension, your service provider has a record of each your location. This information your phone tracks by checking with nearby cell phone towers as you move your location changes. If you have a smartphone and enable location services, your device can track your whereabouts more specifically.

Over time, your device creates a historical map of everywhere you've been. This may be fine if your service provider keeps the information to himself and allows you to use this service for say geotag your photos. In many cases, however, a simple assignment can force your provider to disclose all your historical location data and use it against you if necessary.

Online Dating Sites

online dating sites ask for information for amusement purposes in theory, but your profile and personal information can easily be taken and used for other purposes. When the profile of the questions ask for details such as religious beliefs or past drug use, remember that there is no potential dates who get to see your information. In general, online dating sites also support your answers and your IP address to a monitoring company data from third parties, which can directly connect this information to you. Do not get too comfortable on sites like these, and do not forget that when you are online, you are not as anonymous as you may think.

Photo Sharing

If you post pictures of yourself, your friends, family or online, you can be shared with more people than you think. Viewing photos on Facebook or Flickr can simplify the process of sharing with family and friends or the creation of a travel diary, but it is also the image and theft much easier information. If your smartphone uses GPS technology to mark images with times and places, or if you mark the faces of people on social media sites, you are probably giving away much more information than you think.

If your photo sharing privacy settings are too strict or if you share personal images with thousands of people you do not know well, it is not difficult for services and individuals steal your images for malicious purposes. Consider disabling location services on your smartphone to keep personal information out. Instead of sharing photos with all 2,000 of your friends, do share with groups of people you know personally.

transportation cards transit and toll transponders

Did you ride the subway, bus or commuter train to work every morning? If so, you probably drag a permanent rechargeable smart card to access public transportation. Although these cards can be designed to allow quick and easy access to public transportation and easy reloading funds, they also have tracking capabilities. Every time you use your card to get into or out of a station, your map documents chip on your location and time of use.

If you drive to work or for fun and use a transponder such as E-ZPass to pay tolls electronically, this system also saves your location and use. Such as smart travel card systems, the E-ZPass system can also track your whereabouts at specific times. This information can be obtained for a legal use and can be used to pinpoint your location at a certain time or track your usage patterns if desired.

Essentially, each time you use a computer, a phone or smart device, your actions are documented and tracked. Even if you have nothing to hide, give a second thought to what you share online. Make intelligent decisions about the information you put out there and take the necessary steps to protect your personal information.

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